Basic Budgeting Tips Everyone Should Know

Everything You Need to Know

Budgeting lies at the foundation of every financial plan. It doesn’t matter if you’re living paycheck to paycheck or earning six-figures a year, you need to know where your money is going if you want to have a handle on your finances. Unlike what you might believe, budgeting isn’t all about restricting what you spend money on and cutting out all the fun in your life. It’s really about understanding how much money you have, where it goes and then planning how to allocate those funds best. Here’s everything you need to help you create and maintain a budget.

01

Do you know why a budget is so important? On the surface it seems like creating a budget is just a tedious financial exercise, especially if you feel your finances are already in good order. But you might be surprised at just how valuable a budget can be. A good budget can help keep your spending on track and even uncover some hidden cash flow problems that might free up even more money to put toward your other financial goals.

02

The hardest part of creating a budget is sitting down and creating one. It’s like staring at a blank piece of paper when you need to write something, and that first step seems like a massive hurdle. Don’t worry — I’ve broken down the budget creation process into a few easy to follow steps. You’ll be able to sit down and create a basic budget in just a few minutes.

03

Once you've taken the time to create a budget, now it’s time to make sure you follow it. Budgeting can be like going on a diet — you start with good intentions, but after a few weeks or months you drift away from your plan. Don’t let that happen to you. Here are a few basic traits that will ensure budgeting success.

04

If you’re having difficulty coming up with all of the various expense categories for your budget, Use this budget worksheet that can help you organize everything. This worksheet has the most common expenses and can help you keep track of everything in an orderly fashion.

05

The main reason to create a budget is to help you keep your finances under control by keeping track of how much money you’re spending and where it goes. When you begin to stray from your budget, it’s usually because of spending too much money somewhere. But if you have a budget that tells you exactly how much you’re supposed to spend, why is it so easy to overspend? There are a number of reasons we overspend, so when you understand what causes overspending, you can help put a stop to it and keep your budget on track.

06

Swiping plastic has become incredibly easy. With both credit cards and debit cards, we can be in and out with a purchase in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a cost. By using plastic, we can begin to lose track of how much money is being spent. Sure, two dollars here, 4 dollars there, it doesn’t seem like much at the time of purchase, but if you aren’t careful, they can add up and bust your budget. One trick to help keep your daily spending under control is to use cash instead of your credit or debit cards. It might not be as fast, but it helps you visualize just how much money you’re spending.

07

Sometimes, remembering to save can be a struggle. Automating your savings is an easy way to stay on track with your savings plan. Schedule automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings to build your emergency fund. Open an individual retirement account and set up automatic contributions every payday to build your nest egg. You can also use automatic contributions to fund a 529 college savings account for your child's education. Automating deposits into different accounts ensures that you're saving instead of spending and over time, the power of compound interest can help your money grow steadily.

08

If you're going to save money, having a specific goal to work towards can be a huge help in maintaining your momentum. Think about what you want to accomplish with saving, both in the short- and long-term. For example, you may want to save money for a vacation in the next six months. Or, you may be planning to buy a home in the next year and need to save a down payment. Consider what you'd like to achieve with your money, then break your goals down into specific, actionable steps. Set a timeline for achieving each goal and track your progress to stay motivated on your savings journey.

09

Saving money becomes less of a struggle when you have the right tools on hand. A budgeting app like Mint, for example, can help you manage your budget on the go and track your spending automatically. The app allows you to sync all of your bank and credit accounts in a single place so you can see how well you're doing with your savings goals at a glance. Choosing the right place to keep your savings is also important. A high-interest savings account, for example, may be convenient for stashing your emergency fund. An IRA or an IRA CD, on the other hand, are great vehicles for setting aside money long-term for your retirement.